The Aubrey Experiment

For Sophie's birthday this last spring, we decided it might be a "wise" idea to purchase a baby-sister for Sophie. Well, actually the thought didn't occur to us until we were already in the aisles of our Rockford Toys R US searching for Sophie's birthday present and the ghost of Mason Rudy haunted us into the decision. So that evening, Aubrey Chloe Spencer was born. I know for a fact she (meaning Aubrey) has a real birthday recorded on a real Cabbage Patch birth certificate, but for our purposes she was born on May 31st.



The decision to purchase a baby-sister for Sophie was born of the perceived need to teach her the basics of big-sisterhood; you know, how to hug, kiss, care for, change the diapers of, her new little sibling. And all of this was because we had recently discovered God had seen fit to add number 4 to the 3 Chicago Spencers. If the pictures included here from this evening indicate any foreshadowing of how Sophie will react to Lucie's (spelling as yet undecided) presence, Sandy and I will have a "big-sister" who makes sure little sister never wears socks or shoes; makes sure little sister prefers to go without clothes; and in this particular case prefers not to wear a diaper. (Funny the state in which you see Aubrey here is just the state that Sophie would most often prefer to be in herself. She does not like to have her diaper put back on, and the only time she gets excited about any article of clothing its to bring you her shoes --apple doesn't fall far, I know--to be put on with a big 'oh wow' and a large toothy grin.)

However, these pictures indicate little of Sophie's growing understanding that a little one is on the way. For anyone that will listen, Sophie will do a wonderful job of pointing out that they too have a 'baby' as she lifts up their shirt and points to their belly button. It is a good sign, though, that she only points to 'mommy's' bump in response to the question, "Where is Lucie?" She does carry Aubrey around the house in a prone position repeating 'baby' over and over. Although most times I'm sure that if Aubrey were living, her eyes would be bloodshot and her face red as prone quickly turns into upside-down.



By December, I hope Aubrey will have served her purpose well and can continue life as a normal little girls' doll should, naked on the floor; while Sophie will have learned that a little sister is to love and care for.

Enjoy.

GP